The low sun reminding me how Summer was fading – how did Life get in the way of Climbing ? Ancient bones and lack of training aside , I needed to scratch that Climbing Itch . Feed the Rat . Thankfully Harry McGee and my niece were free for a few days in Wales. IMC reciprocal rights to the Climbers Club hut in Llanberis means you look out in the morning at Cenotaph Corner and all is good in the world.
Tennis Shoes HS 4b*** HS to start : I always wanted to climb on Idwal slabs – today we had the hills to ourselves : Knobbly chickenheads that would not be out of place in Yosemite and a fine mountain situation with the crux at the top .
The Cracks , a multipitch HS *** on Dinas Mot in Llanberis Pass next up : Harry did the 5a mantle at the top effortlessly ; Lovely crack and slab climbing ; We finished the day by crossing over to Flying Buttress – a multipitch romp on Dinas Cromlech just around from Cemetery Gates – all the exposure with no hardship.
Weather warning on high brought us to the ever reliable Tremadog : Eric was in his café and telling tales of Base Jumping after climbing the Eiger… so gripped was the journalist in Harry that I had to pull him away from a fellow adventurer with many more yarns to tell. Creagh Dhu wall *** has got to be one of the most enjoyable hard severes I have done. It basked in sunshine and had a really fun traverse at the start of second pitch. Both of us got equally interesting pitches. Valerie’s Rib to follow was a bit of a letdown – only because Creagh Dhu Wall was outstanding .
Harry needed some real exercise the next day so went off mountain running Crib Goch and then joined up with a local climber for Nea , a lovely VS in the Llanberis pass for a great finish to his holiday.
I join my niece Anne Marie; 10 years before we were washed off Grooved Arete *** on one of Gerry’s Meets . Today we had Tryfan to ourselves and the sunshine . The nine pitches flew in – The Knights Move pitch is very memorable and even the polish didn’t seem so bad on the sunshine. This climb alone would make the trip worthwhile .
It’s Wales so we had to have some rain .. and spent it on a slog up Snowdon. It was good to get a backpack off but misty tops meant no views. Definitely a prompt to go back to Tremadog. The Upper Tier on Pant Ifan was worth the uphill slog as it had some fine easy grade ( up to VS ) single pitch climbs to enjoy.
Merlin Crag in the afternoon was gave more traditional “in the trees” multipitch climbing with the toot tooting steam train in the distance.
A quick dash to Holyhead mountain while waiting for the ferry . 
New Boots and Panties provide sticky climbing in the sunshine on Holyhead Mountain
Gerry Moss’s trip to Snowdonia is a not an option – its a must for new members : Great crack , brilliant advice from Gerry and a wide range of three star routes at all levels – with a meal in Pete’s Eats to look forward to at Days End … Life doesn’t offer any better